Physical Therapy License from Georgia to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy ↗
Yes — both Georgia and Arizona are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Georgia is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arizona now; if you are moving your residence to Arizona, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arizona your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
Both Georgia and Arizona are active PT Compact members, so this is a privilege move, not a license move. If Georgia is your home state and primary residence and your license there is active, you do not apply to the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy — you buy a Arizona compact privilege through the commission and practice on it, with your Georgia license staying in place. Two caveats worth planning around: Arizona may require its jurisprudence exam before the privilege issues, and the privilege lapses the moment your Georgia license does. If you are genuinely relocating to Arizona rather than working there temporarily, the privilege model doesn't fit — you would change your home state by endorsing into Arizona.
What changes, Georgia → Arizona
| Georgia (current) | Arizona (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| PT Compact status | PT Compact member — multistate license honored | PT Compact member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $85 ($75 physical therapist application fee plus the $10 paper-application processing fee; the Board states the online application is NOT available to endorsement/reciprocity applicants, so the $5 online processing fee does not apply. Fingerprint/background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor, and the GA JAM is $65 paid to FSBPT. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) | $190–$260 (original-license application fee per A.A.C. R4-24-107: $260 if applying Sep 1 (even year)-Aug 31 (odd year), $190 if applying in the second half of the biennial cycle; an endorsement is filed as an original-license application. Statutory cap is $300 (A.R.S. 32-2029). AZLAW exam fees (~$65 to FSBPT + ~$29.50 to Prometric) are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) |
| Processing time | 3–5 weeks (the Board states individual application documents are generally reviewed within 15 business days (~3 weeks), and up to 25 business days (~5 weeks) when deficiencies are found; applications requiring full Board review take longer and must be complete two weeks before a meeting) | the Board's statutes and rules do not state a processing timeframe |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy (Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) | Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing.
- If you are moving your primary residence to Arizona: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Arizona State Board of Physical Therapy when you move.
- Declare Arizona as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Arizona's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Arizona accept a Georgia physical therapy license?
Yes — both Georgia and Arizona are members of the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PT Compact). If Georgia is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arizona now; if you are moving your residence to Arizona, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arizona your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NPTE moving from Georgia to Arizona?
No — the NPTE is taken once and your score transfers through the FSBPT. NPTE is not retaken; the passing score is verified/transferred to the Board via the FSBPT Score Transfer Service. Arizona also requires passing the AZLAW jurisprudence exam (50 questions; a scaled score of 600 to pass)..
What does the move cost?
If you are buying a Arizona compact privilege to work while living in Georgia: the commission's uniform fee plus Arizona's privilege fee. If you are relocating and taking a full Arizona license by endorsement: $190–$260 (original-license application fee per A.A.C. R4-24-107: $260 if applying Sep 1 (even year)-Aug 31 (odd year), $190 if applying in the second half of the biennial cycle; an endorsement is filed as an original-license application. Statutory cap is $300 (A.R.S. 32-2029). AZLAW exam fees (~$65 to FSBPT + ~$29.50 to Prometric) are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.) (original-license application fee per A.A.C. R4-24-107: $260 if applying Sep 1 (even year)-Aug 31 (odd year), $190 if applying in the second half of the biennial cycle; an endorsement is filed as an original-license application. Statutory cap is $300 (A.R.S. 32-2029). AZLAW exam fees (~$65 to FSBPT + ~$29.50 to Prometric) are separate. NOT the PT Compact privilege fee.).
How long will it take?
A compact privilege issues quickly once your eligibility and any Arizona jurisprudence exam are cleared — usually faster than a full license. A relocation endorsement runs the Board's statutes and rules do not state a processing timeframe (the Board's statutes and rules do not state a processing timeframe).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.
- Ariz. Admin. Code R4-24-107 — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Ariz. Admin. Code R4-24-201 — Application for a Physical Therapist License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- A.R.S. 32-2029 — Board of Physical Therapy fees (statutory cap) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PT Compact — member states map ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy — Fee Schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy — Instruction Sheet for Application for Licensure ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- Georgia State Board of Physical Therapy — FAQ (reciprocity, processing, CE, background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — Compact Privilege Fee, Jurisprudence and Waiver Table ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- PT Compact — States by Category ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
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